


Usopp's Fables

by NegativePersonality



Category: One Piece
Genre: M/M, SO MUCH FLUFF, So little timeline
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-06-29 04:03:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15721599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NegativePersonality/pseuds/NegativePersonality
Summary: In which Usopp daydreams a little too realistically





	1. Rescue me, Usopp!

**Author's Note:**

"In Their Own Way" develops really slowly to 

focus on Usopp’s character development, 

but I really want to write that good cheesy fluff now… 

 

Basically, I’m impatient.

 

 

___

The fishing rod jerked forward and Usopp yelped, pulling it back with a sudden tug. He didn’t even realize he’d drifted off. It’s a good thing he woke, and just in time – he’d almost lost what felt like a really big catch.

But the line was stubborn and unwilling to budge. Usopp stood on the railing and glared at the ocean.

“You dare challenge the great Captain Usopp?!” he roared, yanking on the pole. “Nothing comes between a brave warrior of the sea and his dinner! Whether you are a common beast or a titan of the gods, it is foolishness to doubt my ability to eat you for supper. Surrender now, and your death will be swift and painless!”

“Keep it down, I’m trying to sleep,” Zoro grumbled from the crow’s nest.

“Mark my words, the tale of our legendary struggle will be told for generations to come!” Usopp grunted, grinding his feet into the railing as he tugged on the line. “For you are dealing with none other than the—”

There was the click of a sword, and Usopp immediately went silent.

But without his epic monologue, he had no chance of victory. He scanned the ship around him. “Luffy!” he hissed. “Luffy, where are you? I need your help…come here, quick!”

There was no response. “Luffy?”

The moment he was distracted, the fishing pole whisked out of his hands and into the sea. Usopp tried to catch it, but it was too late. He turned with a frown.  

“There goes dinner,” Usopp said, jumping back onto the deck. “I wonder where Luffy went?”

Sanji was cooking, which meant Luffy was strictly forbidden to go anywhere near the kitchen (you’d think he’d learn his lesson after the 12th case of food poisoning from uncooked chicken) and it was such a great day that there was no way he’d be below deck…

“Hey, Zoro?”

“…do you have a death wish, Usopp?”

“No! I mean, of-of course not!” Usopp laughed nervously. “I was just, ah…wondering if you’ve seen Luffy.”

“He can take care of himself,” Zoro grunted.

“Alrighty then,” Usopp said, spinning back around. “Maybe he really is below—”

Just then, something caught his eye. “Is that my fishing pole? I didn’t know it could float.” He walked back to the railing and leaned over to get a better look.

“That sure doesn’t look like my fishing pole,” he murmured, pulling his goggles over his eyes.

In that moment, it felt as though time itself had gone still; a chill ran through his bones, and the air disappeared from his chest.

“No…it couldn’t be…” he breathed.

He climbed onto the railing with shaky legs. “Luffy!” he cried, hesitating, then dove into the water without a second thought.

Usopp tried to steady his breathing, swimming as quickly as he could toward the straw hat floating on the water. When he finally grabbed it, he fumbled with the string, tying it securely around his neck before diving under the water. In all the times he’d gone swimming, the ocean had never seemed so large before. He’d never been so terrified in his life – and for Usopp, that was saying something.  

He looked around frantically, trying not to be distracted by the heartbeat drumming in his ears. The water was murky and his eyes stung. He couldn’t see anything…not a damn thing…

Usopp surfaced with a wheeze, wiping the water from his eyes. Fighting the overwhelming urge to cry, he dove into the water a second time.

Someone was calling from the ship, but he could barely hear them. After a time, he heard another voice, and there was a distant splash. Was it Sanji, or Zoro? Thank goodness they were helping. His throat grew tight. Even though it might be too—

Red

His eyes widened and he kicked toward it, the pressure of the water making his ears pop.

There he was, draped motionless across the sand with a stupid grin on his face. Usopp gritted his teeth and lunged forward, hooking an arm around Luffy’s waist before pulling him back toward the surface. His lungs were beginning to hurt, but he could see a light just up ahead. His eyes narrowed with determination. A little further…just a little

He gasped and coughed, pulling Luffy’s face above the water.

“Did you find him?” Zoro called.

“Yeah. He’s—” he choked on a sob. “He’s here. I’ve got him.”

Usopp paddled weakly as Zoro swam out to meet them. “When he wakes up, I’m gonna give him hell for this,” Zoro muttered, pulling them both onto his back as he swam toward the Going Merry.

When they were back on deck, Zoro immediately began pushing on Luffy’s chest, forcing the water out of his mouth. Usopp sat next to him, just watching, trying to focus even though the tears were spilling from his eyes. Nami was staring in shock, her hand over her mouth, and Sanji gritted his teeth so hard he bit right through his cigarette.

Luffy’s chest seized; everyone went still. All at once, he started coughing, and a half eaten fish dislodged from his throat.

“That idiot…even when he’s drowning, all he thinks about is food!” Nami roared. Zoro sighed, and Sanji moved to light another cigarette.

Usopp didn’t know whether to laugh, yell, or cry. As the others walked away, satisfied now that Luffy was breathing again, he moved so his face was right above Luffy’s.

Luffy’s eyes fluttered open, unfocused; but then he looked up.

“Usopp…” he rasped, then coughed.

“Take it easy,” Usopp urged. “You almost…”

His throat tightened, and he couldn’t finish the sentence.

“My…”

“Yeah? What is it? Does something hurt?”

There was a pause. “Meat…fish. Where did it go?”

A dangerous rage swelled up in Usopp’s chest. He slammed his fist on the deck near Luffy’s head. “You moron!” he yelled, his voice strained. “Are you kidding me?”

“Is something wrong?

“Of course something’s wrong! You nearly gave me a heart attack! Pull a something like that again and the fish will be eating you instead!”

“It wasn’t that dangerous,” Luffy answered. “Not that I meant to fall. But it’s okay.” He grinned at Usopp. “I knew you’d come rescue me, so it was alright.”

There was a pause, and the look in Usopp’s eyes softened. “That’s not fair,” he said quietly. “Don’t you dare make me worry like that again, okay?”

Luffy only smiled as his hand reached up to brush the tears from Usopp’s face. “You know, I—”

 

 

 

The fishing rod jerked forward and Usopp yelped, pulling it back with a sudden tug. He didn’t even realize he’d drifted off. It’s a good thing he woke, and just in time – he’d almost lost what felt like a really big catch.

But the line was stubborn and unwilling to budge. Usopp stood on the railing and glared at the ocean.

“You dare challenge the great Captain Usopp?!” he roared, yanking on the pole. “Nothing comes between a brave warrior of the sea and his dinner! Whether you are a common beast or a titan of the gods, it is foolishness to doubt my ability to eat you for supper. Surrender now, and your death will be swift and—”

Luffy popped out of the ocean, dangling from the fishing line. “Usopp!” he sobbed.

“...WHAT THE HELL?!”

Usopp stumbled backward, then heaved the fishing pole over his head. Luffy soared toward him, and Usopp didn’t have enough time to dodge before his captain flew face first into his knee.

For some reason, that idiot was laughing. Usopp curled up, clutching his knee and muttering curses.

“That was a close one! I thought for sure I was gonna die,” Luffy said at last. He sat up, cross legged, and tilted his head to clear the water from his ears. “But I knew you’d rescue me, so it was alright. Thanks, Usopp!”

Usopp didn’t move. Was…this real?

“Hey, Sanji!” Luffy yelled, racing off toward the kitchen. “Is it lunchtime yet? I almost died, so I want lots of meat!”

When the quiet settled around him, Usopp stretched out, staring up at the sky. One hand rested on his chest as though it might help to steady his heartbeat. He closed his eyes, then opened them again. Maybe it would be best to forget about his daydreams for a while.

 

 


	2. I Won't Leave You, Usopp!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even Usopp's dreams are filled with negativity. If this is the most he hopes for, it's no wonder Perona's attacks didn't work on him.

Usopp woke to the feeling of a weight on his chest.

His head hurt like hell. He winced, his eyes slowly focusing. Was he…in the storage room? He wanted to sit up, but a stabbing pain echoed deep in his gut and told him he’d better stay put.

Slowly, his senses came back to him one by one. The sound of the waves against the Merry, the soft glow of lamplight where Chopper was grinding medicinal herbs into powder. He looked up at the ceiling, trying not to focus on the negativity that threatened to drown him. He couldn’t come up with a single joke -- not one sarcastic remark to hold his growing fears at bay. Chopper never isolated a patient unless it was serious. There was nothing funny about it.

The weight on his chest made it hard to breathe. He tried not to panic. Was this how the end went, slow and painful and unable to do anything about it? His jaw tightened. Maybe this was better. A brave warrior of the sea would die in silence, and now he didn’t have a choice.

He swallowed hard and turned his head. Maybe it would be better to sleep.

But when he turned, part of his vision went black. _Oh great,_ he thought, his eyes filling with tears. His heart felt caged under the weight. He focused on that black spot, willing it to clear up, watching it rise and fall with the pace of his breathing.

As time went on, the outline of the darkness grew clearer, with sharp edges and lines that almost made it seem like the shadow of someone he knew very well. Was he hallucinating now? He felt the pain stir in his stomach and he coughed, trying to shift under the weight.

And the darkness moved.

Usopp froze. All at once, he realized what it was.

“…Luffy?” he whispered weakly.

The moment he recognized him, the memories came flooding back. Usopp knew why he was here. And even if he was dying, even if it was slow and painful to the bitter end, he wouldn’t regret a single second of it.

 

 

_Two Days Earlier_

It was a beautiful morning on the Merry, clear skies with the wind blowing just enough to fill the sails. Zoro was lifting weights in the shade of Nami’s tangerine grove, Chopper was organizing and drying herbs, and Nami was so satisfied with the weather that she’d pulled out a lawn chair and joined the crew on the deck. Even Sanji was outside; he was fishing, and carefully logging the species of fish he’d caught.

Luffy was sitting on the figurehead and Usopp leaned against the railing nearby, tinkering with one of his gadgets.

“Usopp?”

“Yeah?”

“What’s that?”

Usopp looked up. “What are you talking about?”

“That thing in the sky. Can you see it?”

He stood, pulling his goggles down. “It looks like…a News Coo.”

The two looked over at Nami.

“Not mine,” she said. “The paper came hours ago.”

“I wonder what it could be?”

The seagull swooped down and landed on the railing near Usopp. Using its beak, it pulled a small package from the messenger bag around its neck and dropped it in Luffy’s hand.

“I didn’t know they delivered private messages,” Usopp said.

Nami pulled her sunglasses up. “They can sometimes, with permission. What is it?”

“CANDY!!” Luffy cheered, looking as though he held treasure in his hands. He completely ignored the letter that fell to the floor.

“That’s it?” Nami grumbled. She leaned back in her chair, folding her arms in annoyance.

“I wonder who sent it?” Usopp mused.

“Who cares? They must be nice, they sent candy!” Luffy grabbed a handful and opened his mouth.

“Wait!” Usopp cried. “You can’t just eat mystery candy. Let’s get Chopper to check it out and make sure it’s okay to eat.”

“Mystery candy?” Luffy pouted. Suddenly, his eyes began to sparkle. “A challenge!”

“That’s not what I meant!!” Usopp sighed. “Fine, give it to me.”

“Why?”

“I’m just going to check it.” He pulled out a small blue piece. “With just this much, even if it’s poison, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“And…if it’s not?”

“Oh captain of little faith!…A brave warrior of the sea would never be defeated by a single piece of sugar!” He stood strong, his chin pointed up in the air as he popped the candy in his mouth. “See?”

Luffy grinned. “How is it?”

“Strawberry!” Usopp answered firmly.

“The colours don’t match at all!” Luffy laughed. “I like this mystery candy! Hmm…I wonder what the others are?” He began digging around in the bag. “There’s purple, yellow…ooh! Red!”

Just then, Usopp blinked. Were the clouds swirling all of a sudden? It must be a storm… He blinked again, but the thoughts were growing fuzzy in his head. Nami…Nami said…

“Luffy, I—”

His vision went black, and he fell forward.

The last thing he heard was his name and the sound of hundreds of pieces of candy scattering as they hit the deck.

 

 

The hours passed slowly as Usopp watched his captain’s sleeping face. Luffy had fallen asleep sitting up, his hand resting on Usopp’s chest. He was sure that the poison wasn’t the reason his heart was racing.

“Luffy, you idiot…isn’t that an uncomfortable way to sleep?” he whispered.

“He’s checking your heart rate,” Chopper said quietly. “He hasn’t left that spot for two days. Let him rest.”

The reindeer didn’t move from his desk. Usopp sighed. “Two days…am I going to be alright?”

“Of course,” Chopper said seriously. “I promised him you would.”

Usopp turned his head and closed his eyes. No…he wouldn’t regret it. Not a single moment.

 

 

Usopp woke to the feeling of a weight on his chest.

His head hurt like hell. He winced, his eyes slowly focusing. Was he…in the storage room? He wanted to sit up, but a stabbing pain echoed deep in his gut and told him he’d better stay put.

Slowly, his senses came back to him one by one. The sound of the waves against the Merry, the soft glow of lamplight where Chopper was grinding medicinal herbs into powder. He looked up at the ceiling, trying not to focus on the negativity that threatened to-

“Finally! You slept _forever_!” Luffy laughed.

The captain was sitting cross legged on his stomach. Usopp groaned and resisted the urge to throw up. 

“Luffy, don’t crush my patient,” Chopper said. “His indigestion is bad enough as it is.”

“In…digestion?” Usopp stammered in disbelief.

“I told you I’d win,” Luffy grins. “No one can beat me in a meat eating contest.”

Usopp frowned. “A brave warrior of the sea would never – URP! – turn down a challenge!”

“Well, that challenge could’ve given you a hernia,” Chopper commented sternly. “Thankfully I had Luffy’s help in carrying you here. You’ll have to wait until your stomach is empty to engage in any rigorous activity.”

Usopp turned. Why couldn’t things be like they were in his dreams?

“You’ll continue keeping an eye on the patient while I work on a laxative?” Chopper asked.

“Sure!” Luffy grinned.

The door closed, and the room was quiet.

“I don’t need you to watch me, you know.”

“But you might get a horny bug.”

“Hernia!”

“Even if I have to wait all night, I won’t leave until you’re okay,” Luffy said seriously.

Usopp was quiet. His stomach felt queasy, his chest burned, and he knew this was not the time to be flustered about Luffy acting the way he did in Usopp’s dreams. But despite all of this, he was glad he wasn’t dying.

“Hurry up and poop so we can play tag,” Luffy said, his finger twisting in his nose.

“Just…let me go back to sleep,” Usopp sobbed.


End file.
